


Broken

by rainbowgoddess



Category: Suits (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-11
Updated: 2011-07-11
Packaged: 2017-10-21 06:25:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/221932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainbowgoddess/pseuds/rainbowgoddess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harvey is in a bad mood and takes it out on Mike, telling him he never wants to see him again. Later, he tries to apologize to Mike, but Mike won't accept his apology and refuses to work for Harvey anymore. Harvey will do anything he can to get Mike back, but Mike's not making it easy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Broken

**Author's Note:**

> From the Suits prompt meme, prompt: "Harvey is the one to completely screw up and totally destroys the trust he's earned from Mike. Harvey does/says something to Mike or something along those lines (I'll leave that part up to the author) and Mike's faith/trust in him is shattered, as in he is ready to quit or he just stops being playful and puppy-like with Harvey. Cue Harvey realizing his mistake and trying to make it up to Mike."

Harvey's day had not started well. When he'd called his broker that morning, he'd found one of his stocks had tanked. The barista had screwed up his coffee order. The elevator had been out of order, and he'd had to take the stairs. Jessica had dropped another pro bono case in his lap, with orders to not fob it off on Mike. Louis had been getting on his nerves. And Mike was late.

When Mike arrived at the office, panting and out of breath, full of apologies, Harvey turned on him full bore. "Get out," he said.

"Excuse me?"

"I said, get out. If you can't be bothered to get here on time, then don't bother showing up at all. Just get out of my face, get out of my office, and get out of my life. I don't want to see your skinny ass and your skinny ties for one more minute."

"Harvey, I'm sorry I'm late. I had to go to the nursing home where my grandmother is. There was a problem with the bill. I had to straighten it out. I called and said I'd be late. I'm here now, and I'll stay as long as you need me. I'll stay all night if you want. I'll make it up to you."

"I told you that I don't want to see you," Harvey growled. "Not now. Not ever. Just leave. Leave now."

Mike did as he was told. He walked out of Harvey's office, trying not to look as bad as he felt. Donna caught up with him on his way out.

"Listen, Mike, Harvey doesn't mean it. He's just having a bad day. He'll get over it. I mean, he didn't actually use the word 'fired,'" she pointed out. "Just come back tomorrow. He'll have forgotten all about it by then."

Mike straightened up. "You know what? Even if he didn't fire me, I don't want to come back. I don't deserve to be treated the way he treated me. I have more self-respect than that."

"Are you sure?" Donna asked in surprise. "I mean, what are you going to do?"

"I'll figure something out," Mike said. "I do like working here. But I won't stand by and let Harvey verbally abuse me."

"Look, let me do some checking. I'll talk to Jessica. Maybe she'll let you work for another partner. You know she was impressed with you bringing in a client."

"I'd appreciate it," Mike said. "Thank you."

Later that day, Harvey realized that Mike wasn't answering his phone. When Donna came into his office, he asked her if she'd seen him.

"Don't you remember? You sent him away."

"I did what?" Harvey asked.

"I believe your exact words were something like, 'Get out of my face, get out of my office, and get out of my life.' And something about not wanting to see his skinny ass or skinny tie for one more minute."

"I said that?" Harvey asked.

"That and a few other choice things, yes."

"Oh, shit," said Harvey, burying his face in his hands. "I was having a shitty day, and he was late, and I guess I just lost it."

"He did call, you know, to say he'd be late," Donna informed him. "I even told you that he did."

Harvey sighed. "Is he coming back?"

"Not to you. I told him I'd talk to Jessica, try to find him another job in the firm, but he said he's not going to work for someone who treats him the way you did this morning."

"I've really screwed up, haven't I?" Harvey asked.

"I'll say," Donna replied.

"Can you fix it?" he asked hopefully.

"I can fix a lot of things, Harvey, but this is one you're going to have to fix yourself."

The next day....

Mike walked in to see Jessica. He was nervous, but he tried not to show it. Jessica smiled when he came in, though, which he took as a good sign.

"Donna told me what happened yesterday," Jessica said, getting straight to the point. "She said you might be needing a new job."

"Yes, ma'am," he said.

"I have to say I'm impressed," Jessica continued. "Most first-year associates wouldn't stand up for themselves like that."

"I guess I'm not most first-year associates, then," Mike replied.

"Definitely not," Jessica replied. "Now, as to finding you another assignment, I don't have a permanent place for you, so you'll have to be what's called a floater. You'll work for whoever needs you at the moment, except for Harvey, of course."

"Thank you," Mike said in relief.

When he walked back to his cubicle, Mike found Harvey there waiting for him. "Mike, can we talk?"

"No."

"Look, Mike, I'm sorry for what I said yesterday."

"I believe what you said was that you didn't want to see me ever again," Mike replied. "So why are you here?"

"To apologize," Harvey said.

"Apology not accepted."

"Mike...."

Mike turned and looked at his former boss. "I'm busy, Harvey. I have work to do." Then he turned away and focused on the files that were on his desk.

At that moment, Harvey felt a bit annoyed by Mike's refusal to accept his apology, but mostly he felt ashamed of himself. He'd said those words to Mike in the heat of misplaced anger. He couldn't take them back. But he could apologize, if Mike would accept his apology. But Mike wasn't accepting it.

Mike watched Harvey leave with a heavy heart. Part of him wanted to simply accept Harvey's apology and pretend that nothing had happened. But Harvey's words had hurt. They still hurt. He'd said he didn't want to see Mike again. He couldn't forget them. Every time he looked at Harvey, he heard those words again. He wouldn't let Harvey hurt him like that again.

Stalking back to his office, Harvey said to Donna, “He won't talk to me.”

“He was pretty upset when I talked to him yesterday. Give him a couple of days. Maybe he'll calm down.”

The next day, Harvey tried talking to Mike again. But Mike was still not talking to him. “I have to work to do,” he said again. “Work for someone who is not you.”

Mike wished that Harvey would leave him alone. He hated what Harvey had said to him, but part of him missed Harvey. But he didn't want to make himself vulnerable to the older man again.

Harvey went to Jessica. “I want Mike to work for me again,” he told her.

“Mike doesn't want to work for you,” Jessica replied.

“So? Since when do associates get to pick and choose their assignments?”

“Since you verbally abused this associate,” Jessica told him.

“Wait a minute — abused?” Harvey hadn't been expecting that word.

“Yes, Harvey. The firm has a strict code of conduct for how our partners and associates behave, and what you did to Mike counts as verbal abuse. You're lucky he asked me not to take disciplinary action against you.”

“Disciplinary action?” Harvey was shocked. He knew he'd behaved badly, but he hadn't realized that he'd crossed a line.

“Just remember to hold your tongue in future,” Jessica told him.

The next person Harvey went to was Rachel. He knew that Mike was friends with her. As soon as he entered her office, though, she said, “No, I'm not going to talk to Mike for you.”

“What makes you think I was going to ask you that?”

“Mike warned me you would try,” she told him.

“Look, Mike's your friend. Why won't you talk to him?” Harvey asked.

“Because nothing I say is going to change what happened. You're the one who yelled at him and insulted him, so you're the one who is going to have to make it up to him.”

“But he won't let me,” Harvey pointed out.

“Try harder,” Rachel suggested.

He let another couple of days go by, and then Harvey left a note on Mike's desk when Mike wasn't there. _Can I buy you lunch?_ it said.

But when he got back to his office, Donna had the note, and she handed it to him. Written on the bottom was a single word: _No._

By the time a week had gone by, Harvey was at his wits end. He racked his brain trying to think of what he could say or do to convince Mike to give him another chance. Again, he asked Donna for help. “Talk to Mike for me. Please?”

With a sigh, Donna gave in. She hated seeing how distraught Harvey appeared every time Mike rejected his attempts at apologizing, clumsy though they were.

The first words Mike said when he saw her were, “Harvey sent you?”

“Yeah. Look, Mike, he's really upset. I think he's genuinely sorry for the way he treated you. He's a wreck. He's lost without you. Why won't you let him apologize to you?”

“Because Harvey doesn't care about me,” Mike blurted. He hadn't intended to say that, but it was true. He'd tried to get Harvey to admit to caring about him, but Harvey had denied it. His behaviour when Mike was late just confirmed it.

“That's it? Mike, Harvey doesn't care about anyone but Harvey. You figured that out your first day here.”

“I know,” Mike sighed. “But I've been working with other partners, and some of them actually say things like 'thank you' and ask 'how are you' and things like that. It's a lot different from the way Harvey acts, and I like it.”

“What about what Harvey did for you in giving you a job in the first place?” Donna reminded him.

“Please don't try to make me feel guilty,” Mike responded. “Just because he gave me a job doesn't give him the right to treat me like a piece of dirt. Look, don't tell him what I said. Just tell him that I wouldn't talk to you, or something.” In spite of the fact that Harvey didn't care about him, he still cared about Harvey. He didn't want to make Harvey feel guilty for being Harvey. He knew Harvey wasn't going to change, and he didn't expect him to, but he knew he couldn't work for Harvey anymore.

Donna went back to Harvey's office. She saw the hopeful look on his face. She shook her head. “Sorry. I got nothin.'”

Harvey couldn't take this any longer. Mike wouldn't listen to him. He wouldn't listen to Donna. Rachel wouldn't even try talking to him, and Jessica wouldn't help.

Was there anyone else he could talk to?

“Donna, what do you know about Mike's grandmother?”

“Uh, that he has one? That's about it. Why?”

“Call it curiosity,” Harvey said. “The day he was late, he said something about straightening out a bill at the nursing home. Paying for her nursing home is the main reason he took the job here in the first place. I want to know more about her. Can you find out?”

“Exactly how am I supposed to do that? Go and ask Mike where his grandmother's nursing home is? He'd know I had ulterior motives, though I don't know what those motives are.”

“I need to talk to someone who knows Mike. Someone who might be able to tell me how to get through to him. She must know him better than anyone, so I have to talk to her, but I don't know how to find her. Say, do you have access to Mike's financial records? There must be some record of payments he's made to the nursing home.”

“Not without hacking into his bank account,” Donna said.

“Well, he's paid by direct deposit — right? So we know what bank he deals with.”

“Harvey, I am not hacking into Mike's bank account. Not that I even know how,” she added. “You're a lawyer. Get a court order.”

That was something he hadn't thought of. He could try it, but he didn't have a legitimate reason to get a court order for Mike's bank records. Also, he didn't want Mike to know what he was planning, or he'd just tell his grandmother not to talk to Harvey.

He called up a private investigator of his acquaintance and put a tail on his former associate.

By the end of the week, he had the name of the nursing home, and the name of Mike's grandmother. When he was certain that Mike was in the office on Monday morning, Harvey went to pay her a visit.

“So you're Harvey Specter,” she said. “You're the one who hurt my grandson. Why are you here?”

“I need to talk to someone who knows Mike,” Harvey told her. “I have been trying to apologize to him for my behaviour, and he won't listen to me. I don't know why he won't listen to me, and I don't know how I can make things up to him.”

“Why do you need to apologize to him, since he's not working for you any longer?”

“Because I'm sorry for what I said to him, and I want him to work for me again,” Harvey said. “I need him. And I miss him.”

“Why do you need him?” Mike's grandmother asked. “I'm sure your boss will let you hire another associate — a real Harvard graduate, this time.”

“I don't need another associate. I need Mike.”

“Why do you need Mike, if you're just going to treat him like garbage?”

This woman was definitely not making things easy for Harvey. But that was okay. He was used to facing judges who asked tough questions, after all. “Mike reminds me that the clients are actual people, not just money. He cares about them. That's what I need him for.”

“And the treating him like garbage?”

Harvey groaned. “That was just a very bad day for me, and I took it out on Mike. I shouldn't have done it. I regret it. I would do anything to gain his forgiveness.”

“Mr. Specter, do you care about my grandson?”

He hadn't been prepared for this question. It struck him silent for a long moment. “Yes,” he finally admitted. “Yes, I do care about him.”

“He thinks you don't care. He says you're proud to not care. He doesn't think your apologies are sincere because if you don't care about his feelings, why would you be sorry for hurting them?”

This was something Harvey had never considered. He hadn't known that his denial of caring about Mike had hurt the younger man or that it would have consequences like this. “I'm not big on admitting to having feelings or caring,” Harvey said. “It can be seen as a sign of weakness in my field.”

“Yet Mike is doing very well in your field, and he actually does care. He even cares about you, strange as it may seem.”

Mike cared about him? “If he cares about me, then why won't he talk to me?”

“He's afraid of getting hurt again. Remember, Mike thinks you don't care about him, and he thinks that you'll just say you're sorry until the next time something makes you pissed off and you'll take it out on him again.”

All of this information was a revelation to Harvey. Now he really needed to talk to Mike. But how could he get Mike to listen?

“Two words, Mr. Specter,” Mike's grandmother said when he asked her that question. “Captive audience.”

As he was on his way out, Harvey thought of something. He went to the front desk and asked to talk to someone about billing. Then he paid for Mike's grandmother's care for the next couple of years.

Then it was back to the office, where Harvey asked Donna to keep tabs on Mike for him. He had to know what time Mike went home, and hoped that Mike wasn't going to pull an all-nighter. When Mike went home, Harvey followed.

Mike was startled by the knock on his door. He didn't normally have any guests, except Trevor, and he'd cut Trevor out of his life. He hoped it wasn't Jenny.

To his astonishment, he found Harvey at his door. “I don't have anything to say to you,” Mike informed him.

“That's okay. I have something to say to you.”

Against his better judgment, Mike let Harvey come in. “Say your piece, then leave, please.”

It was all-or-nothing time, Harvey thought. He tried to use the words that he'd carefully rehearsed in his head, but suddenly they weren't there. His mind was blank. His tongue was tied. Finally he blurted, “I care about you.”

Those words broke through the wall that Mike had carefully constructed around his heart over the past few weeks. He looked Harvey in the eye. “Do you mean it?”

“Would I be here if I didn't?” Harvey asked. “Do you think I'd have come here to ask you to forgive me if I didn't care about you, if I didn't care what you thought of me? I need you, Mike. You've somehow become very important to me. I'm sorry that I hurt you. Will you come back to me?” He wasn't sure how the words "come back to work for me" had somehow dropped the words "work for."

Suddenly Mike threw himself at Harvey and grabbed him in a tight bear hug. “Yes," he said, "I missed you, Harvey.”

“I missed you too.” That was when Harvey did something that he'd been thinking about for a long time. He kissed Mike. He was pretty sure it was a bad idea to do so, but that didn't stop him. Soon he realized that Mike wasn't stopping him either. So he kept doing it.

When he was finished, he said, “I wasn't exactly intending to do that when I came over here.”

Mike looked at him and laughed. “Really? It seemed pretty intentional to me.”

“I didn't hear you objecting.”

“That's because being kissed by you is anything but objectionable,” was Mike's response.

Harvey smiled. “Then do you want to do it again?”

This time Mike's response was to push Harvey down on the couch, climb on top of him and kiss him till Harvey saw stars.

“I'll take that as a yes.”

END


End file.
